About 2 in 10 children go to Cornish secondary schools without a food, relying instead on free lunches to see them through the day.

In some schools, that number rises to three in ten. Analysis of the latest performance tables show more than 24 per cent of Cornish students who took GCSEs last year were from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Some, like Cape Cornwall School where 35 per cent were from disadvantaged backgrounds, are nearly twice the national average.

Several others were above 25 per cent - Poltair, Newquay Treviglas, Sir James Smith's Community School, Camelford, Hayle Community School, Looe Community Academy, Liskeard Community School and College, Camborne Science and International Academy and Bodmin College.

It comes as no surprise as in 2015 the index of multiple deprivation showed 17 of Cornwall's neighbourhoods to be among the most deprived 10 per cent in England and 44 in the 20 most deprived.

(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

At that time Treneer in Penzance was the most deprived in Cornwall and Cornwall and Redruth community network had the highest number of neighbourhoods (10) in the most deprived 20 per cent in England.

The new figures from the Department for Education show the disparity in our schools. Some have extremely high levels of pupils from less privileged backgrounds, and others nearby have far fewer.

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Secondary schools are given £935 for every pupil who is eligible for the free lunches. Parents can apply for the lunches if they meet certain conditions set by the Government, explains the Bristol Post

What the figures do show, however, is deprivation does not equate to poor results. Many schools here exceed standards even when facing difficult odds.

The list below shows the percentage of pupils who are entitled to free school meals, and the Progress 8 score.

The Progress 8 score is the newest key measurement for how schools do in the national exams. To put the figures into context, the average Progress 8 score for Cornwall is -0.03, which is the same for England.

Four schools - Poltair in St Austell, Hayle Community School, Looe Community Academy, Falmouth School, Liskeard School and Community College all achieved Progress 8 scores which were above the national average, despite having FSM numbers above 25 per cent.